Unrelenting Love
by The 483
Summary: Tai would have thought that telling someone you loved that you loved them would be easy. But, social relations in high school are anything but easy, even when you adventured in the Digiworld. He struggles to cope with his Unrelenting Love.
1. The Day of Days

Relentless Love 

My first Digimon Fic! And most likely not my last!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

**#1: The Day of Days**

A very happy student walked down the halls of Odiba High School. He was no ordinary student, though. He was tall and handsome, messy brown hair, an athletic build from years of playing soccer, and his life changing adventures in the digital world. This man was Tai Kamiya.

"Today's the day!" He said to himself as he rounded a corner. "Today's the day I finally ask her!" He had his plan all worked out in his head, he would walk casually up to her, and ask if she had any plans for that night. If she said no, he'd ask her if she was interested in doing something with him, essentially a date, and if she was, his years of friendship would make it seem so that he was just seeing if he wanted a friend to accompany him. Of all the plans he had made over the years, this was the one was the most thoroughly thought-out of them all. He had had many days to think it over, always thinking that he would do it that day, but then wussing out at the last minute. "It's ironic that the man holding the Crest of Courage would chicken out at the though of what he was about do, but would dive headfirst into dangerous situation after another." He said, still to himself. A simple realization had finalized his decision. "If I don't do it soon, someone else will!" He sped up as he said the last bit. He rounded a final corner into a crowded hallway, and ran smack into someone.

"Glad I found you, I need to tell you something!" The equally handsome blonde boy said, regaining his balance after the impact, and dragging Tai back around the corner, into the empty hall. "I just did it! I just asked her!"

"No way!" Tai said, exited for his friend. "What did she say?" He had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"She sorta just looked at me for a moment while her friends all giggled, but basicly, she said yes."

"Basically?"

"Yeah, she started talking really fast, but I made out at least one yes in there. So, what about you?"

"I was going for it just now, but then you ran into me."

"Hey! You ran into me!"

"Whatever, I'm going, I'll talk to you in a minute." Tai walked away, back around the corner and out of sight. Another shaggy head of brown hair walked around the corner, shorter than Tai.

"Hey Matt, why has Tai so flustered?" He asked, resting his back on the wall.

"He's finally going to ask Sora out."

"Really? Bout time. Hasn't he been in love with her like forever?"

"Yeah, but he couldn't work up the nerve. S, who you going with, Davis?"

"Who else, you know I won't settle for anything less than the best."

"Are you asking me out?" Matt asked jokingly.

"No you dumbass, I mean Kari."

"Oh, so she finally broke down and decided to settle for you?"

"Yeah… HEY! What do you mean settle for me!" Davis yelled, red faced. Matt just laughed.

Tai made his way through the crowded hall quickly, having only a few minutes to find her before class started. He had to do it now, because if he sat through first and second period, some kind of doubt would rise, and he would most likely wuss out again. After wading through a group of small freshman girls, who all swooned as he made his way by, he found what he was looking for. An extremely attractive redhead stood by some lockers, conversing with her best Female friend, Mimi.

"So he just asked you? What did you say?" Sora asked the exited brunette.

"I said yes, of course. You know how long I've been waiting, who are you going with?" She responded gleefully.

"No one yet." Sora answered looking at the ground. Several people had asked her, but she always said she needed to mull it over, and would get back to them. Secretly, she was hoping someone in particular would, but she decided if that person didn't ask her today, she'd just pick one of the others.

"Well, if he doesn't ask you, who are you going to pick?" Mimi asked, narrowing the request field.

"I don't know, probably Joe, because he's been my friend for a while, and he's about the top of the heap that has asked." She said, still staring at the ground.

"Didn't you here, he figure that that was as good as a rejection, and is going with Naomi."

"What about Izzy?" Sora didn't have an ear for gossip the way Mimi did, so she was out of the loop on these things.

"He's going with that exchange student from Germany." She caught a meaning full look from Tai over Sora's, and correctly interpreted it. "Well, I've got to go, Jessie said she had something important to show me, but it's probably just a new purse or something, talk to you later." She sped off, leaving Sora to ponder her choices. A tap on the shoulder brought her back to reality. She turned to find just the man she wanted to see, and barely managed to keep her happiness in check.

"Hello Tai."

"Hi Sora." He said, but then froze as he met her eyes. He fought to regain himself. "You know that Dance on Friday night?" He said, but realized just how stupid he must have sounded.

"Yeah, what about it." Her heart had jumped, but she wasn't going to get her hopes up.

"Well, I was wondering if, … um… er… Damn, I forgot what I was going to say." His panic had caught up with him, and backed up his thoughts. He didn't even realize he had said the last part out loud.

"What?" she said, her heart jumping higher, but it sank a bit at the next set of words"

"Well, we've been friends a long time, and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me." He just popped out his back up explanation instead of what he really wanted to say.

"Well, I guess going as friends is better than going with some of the other people that have asked." She said, half way between joy and sadness.

"Other people asked you?" Tai blurted out, but the bell sounded, drowning out his words.

"What?" She asked, not catching what would have been considered very rude words.

"Um... Thanks see you later." And he ran off in jubilation.

End of chapter one.

Review and email me if you want.


	2. The Week

Relentless Love 

My first Digimon Fic! And most likely not my last!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

**#2: The Week**

**Monday**

The rest of the day flew by until lunch. Tai grabbed a seat at the usual table after grabbing a plate of food. He sat next to Matt, with Izzy and Joe across from them.

"So how did it go?" Matt asked, munching on his crappy cafeteria food.

"Well, not as well as planed." He said with a sigh, poking at his food.

"What do you mean?" Davis said, sitting down with them, having been filled in on the situation earlier.

"Well, I kinda asked her to go as just a friend."

"What an idiot!" Matt said, slapping himself in the forehead.

"Yeah, but the word got stuck, and plan B just slipped out. Anyway, who are the rest of you going with?"

"Mimi." Matt said.

"Naomi." Joe stated

"The new German chick, Stacy." Izzy said.

"Kari." Davis said, receiving odd stares from everyone else.

"So she finally decided to settle for you?" They all said in unison.

"Why the hell do you all keep saying that!" He yelled, receiving even more stares from around the room.

**Tuesday**

Tai woke up with a headache. He rolled of the bed and landed with a thud on the floor. He rolled over and stood up. He dressed and left for school. The throbbing in his head grew over the cource of the day.

**Wednesday**

Tai fell out of bed again, feeling like crap. He was almost late for school. He sat with Matt at lunch, head resting on the table.

"It figures. I finally do it, I finally ask her out, and now I'm sick."

"That sucks." Matt said, not paying attention. Well, no to Tai anyway.

"Yeah."

**Thursday**

"So, feeling any better?" Matt said femininely, sneaking up behind Tai. Tai heard this, and almost wet himself, thinking the voice belonged to Sora. He turned around slowly, only to find a Matt, now laughing his ass off. Tai swung a vicious blow at his head, missed and stumbled into the lockers as Matt dashed off. Tai put his against the cold locker as he caught his breath.

"I need to get into my locker, please." The same feminine voice said behind him.

"Oh, ha, it worked the first time, but I'm not going to fall for it again." He said, without turning around.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, just back off Matt!" a hand gripped his shoulder, and spun him around. His face turned white as he stared into a pair of crimson eyes. "Um… hi Sora."

"What was that all about?" She asked, wondering why his face was white.

"Oh… um… well, Matt was just being… well… I got to go! See you tomorrow!" he couldn't think of a good excuse so he bolted, noting to kick the crap out of Matt as soon as he got better. Sora just stared after him, never having seen her best friend act this strange.

"What's wrong?" Mimi asked, seeing the look on her face.

"Tai was acting really weird."

"Oh, Matt mimicked your voice, and scared the crap out of him. He looked like he was going to wet himself. When you walked up, he thought it was still Matt."

"Oh, so why did he turn white and run off?"

"Well… um… he must just be nervous."

"Nervous of what?" She was wondering what could have made him react that way.

"Oh… um… er… I have to go, I just remembered, I have to go meet Matt!" Sora sighed as Mimi rushed off. Why was everyone around her crazy? Well, at least she had tomorrow to look forward too, even if she was just going as friends.

End of chapter two.


	3. The worst possable outcome

Relentless Love 

My first Digimon Fic! And most likely not my last!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

**#3: The Worst Possible Outcome**

Many thoughts ran through Tai's head as he sat with his face hovering a few inches from the surface of the water within the toilet. He had just finished emptying himself of the breakfast he had consumed only 5 minutes earlier. He felt like he was at the peak of his ailment, and worried about what to do next. Many outcomes ran through his head. He could stay home from school and rest, but if he did that, his parents wouldn't let him go to the dance, and he would essentially blow Sora off, and leave her extremely pissed. Or he could go to school, get sent home for being sick, and essentially blow Sora off, leaving her extremely pissed. That seemed to be the ending to all of his scenarios, and it seemed pretty bleak. He decided he'd give school a shot, and worse come to worse, have to just tell her he couldn't make it. He didn't like the thought of it, and prayed that his body would do it's best.

He found himself unable to focus on what the teachers had been saying, worst case scenarios inventing themselves, as he tried to focus. He made it till lunch without arousing much suspension, and just sat with his head in his arms at the table, while everyone else chattered on about their plans for the evening. He managed to go the rest of the school day without vomiting, and hurried home, so he could take more meds, and prepare for the festivities that lay ahead.

The large clock in Sora's room chimed 7:00, and she hastened to get ready. A glamorous, yet practical shirt and skirt combination was spread over her bed. She wanted to look a tad fancy, without going too far over board for a school activity. She shut the water off as she finished washing off a nice little gold ring, and slipped it on her finger. She eyed how it looked, happy with the new sheen that it had taken on, after her scrubbing. Tai had given the little trinket to her for her birthday last year, and though she hadn't told anyone, she really treasured it. He had admitted that he couldn't think of anything perfect to give her, he had just found a ring that he liked in a antique store, which his mother had dragged him to, and bought it. It wasn't the ring that she really cared for, but that he had been honest about his lack of ideas, and that meant much more to her the little thing. She remembered another shred of memory, from when she had first examined it, and noticed a small inscription etched in the inside of the ring. "To my Beloved, what does that mean?" She had asked, casting him a curious stare. He explained that he hadn't even seen the inscription, and turned a deep red. She sighed, and began to get dressed.

Tai was once again doubled over the toilet, and though he felt like he was going to puke, he didn't even have the dry heaves. As the wave of nausea passed, he lifted his gaze to the clock on the wall. He jumped, seeing that is was 7:25, and he was supposed to be at Sora's at 7:45. He ran back to his room, and stopped, as his head stopped spinning from the sudden movement. He rifled through his closet, and picked out a few things, and threw them on. He dug around the clothes that littered the floor until he found his keys, and walked into the kitchen. He started rummaging through the medicine cabinet, pulling out bottles of pills and assorted liquids here and there. He finished, an then proceeded to take a small amount out of each one. Mixing medications wasn't the safest way to go, but he was desperate. He shoved the bottles back into the cabinet, and called for Kari to hurry up. She walked into the living room wearing a pair of artfully bleached jeans, a green v-neck shirt, and a purple zip up hoodie. They called their good byes, and walked out the front door, slipping on their shoes, a black and white pair of vans for Tai, and some light gray converse high-tops for Kari.

"You look nice, who are you trying to impress?" Kari asked, looking him over as he unlocked the driver's door to a beat up old emerald green Camaro.

"No one, I just managed to grab a outfit that matches for once." He stated bluntly, as he sat down, then reached over and unlocked the passenger door, wishing his meds would kick in before he reached Sora. In truth, he did look very nice, he was wearing a pair of black dickies, a blank, light gray ling sleeved shirt, and black zip up hoodie. His hair was the lazy spiked mess it always was, but it still fit with the outfit surprisingly well. He slotted the key in the ignition, and fired it up, roaring loudly, until he pressed in the gas pedal once, were it reverted to a dull purring. He went over the plan in his head again, as he waited for his car to warm up. He would go over to Sora's house, and pick her up, then drive over to get daivis, and then to school, all in 15 minutes, but that wasn't going to happen, because davis just happened to be over on the other side of town. They would be a little late to the dance, but that was ok. He pulled the shifter down into drive, popped off the brake, and rumbled off down the street, toward his first destination. He pulled up to Sora house, just as his electronic car clock shifted to 7:44. He opened his door and waddled up her stone steps, rapping softly on the door when he reached it. He heard a shuffle of foot steps, a rushed "Bye mom", and the deadbolt click.. the door opened to reveal Sora, bathed from behind in the soft yellow glow of a lamp on a stand by the door. Tai instantly felt better, like the adrenaline spike that surged forward had fueled the medications effect at the sight of her. She was wearing a light pink skirt the dropped just a little below her knees, and a rose red turtle neck, with a thin green silk vest. It was an elegant combination, and helped accentuate her already stunning beauty. He stumbled for words, but ended up remaining silent, as he folded his seat down so she could climb in the back.

"Why do I have to ride in the back?" She asked curiously. This time Tai found the right words.

"Because we got to go pick up Davis, and I'm not leaving him and Kari both sit in the back seat." He stated, letting his brotherly instances do a very good job of making him feel like an ass. She gave a small nod, and climbed in the back, make Tai feel even worse, because the truth was he wanted her next to him, now and forever.

Ten minutes later, he pulled up to Davis's house, to find him sitting on the porch, looking very exited. After he pilled in, Tai was off to school, and the closest thing he and Sora had ever had to a more than just friends moment. They pulled into the student parking lot earlier than they thought they would; though they were still late. After getting out and locking the car up, walked toward the entrance to the gym. Tai and Sora walked to where they were going to meet Matt and Mimi, while Kari and Davis headed straight into the crowded building.

"Bout time you guys got here." Matt called over with a huff of impatience.

"What? We're only five minutes late, and only because Kari made me pick up Davis!"

"Well, she certainty keeps you on a tight leash, doesn't she? Come on, let's go." He whined the last part, and the walked off toward the gym, wondering what would unfold this night, except for Tai, who was hoping he hadn't mixed any meds that might ruin his night.

The end of chapter 2, coming up next, The Dance!


	4. The Dance

Relentless Love 

My first Digimon Fic! And most likely not my last!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

**#4: The Dance**

Tai was extremely nervous as he walked into the crowded gymnasium with Sora. In truth, he had walked into this gym with her before, but never on something of this nature. He shifted from sweating, to freezing, as the medications conflicted with one another. Thankfully, he managed to conceal any visible signs that something was wrong, and with no vomiting in sight. The gym was dark, with multi colored lights sweeping the area rapidly, mixing with a light fog covering the floor.

"Whoa, they even got fog machines?" Sora said, looking for the source of the fog.

"Guess so, at least they got a real DJ this time, not just some local idiot." Tai shivered as he shifted from sweating again, and he played it off as if it was a bad memory of the last dance. A techno beat poured from the speakers as they walked to a position in the midst of the main group, all doing different weird moves. The found nice spot that wasn't to crowed, and simply shuffled around for a while. After about a half-hour they broke off and headed for the refreshment table. They got they just as Matt managed to track them down.

"There you guys are, I've been looking for you for ever."

"So, what do you want?" Tai asked as Mimi shuffled up.

"Well, this kinda sucks pretty bad doesn't it? so I was tinking that we should all just blow this place, go hit a fast food joint, and then a movie or something?" Mimi said.

"Who else was on board?" Tai asked skeptically, but it did sound like a good plan.

"Just Davis and Kari, but we were hoping you'd like to go along."

"I don't mind, what about you Sora?" Tai said, looking at Sora, who seemed a little disappointed.

"…Sure!" She perked up as she realized that was more like a date than a school dance.

"So who's driving?" Tai asked.

"Well, since you've only got a four seated, and I took the truck, both." Matt stated bluntly.  
"Ok, I'll meet you in the parking lot after I go and get davis and kari." Tai said, and was about to walk of.

"They're waiting for us already." Tai stopped dead.

"Alone." He said coldly. Matt blinked curiously.

"Ofcourse, why…" Matt stopped as he realized what that would probably mean. "Good point, let's hurry.

They found the pair sitting on the concrete base of a street lamp, a good couple of inches between them, which Tai decided was sufficiently outside the "Going to kill him" zone. Matt and Mimi told them they'd meet them at the Jack in the box, and walked off to Matt's old Nissan truck, as Tai and the rest walked to his little car.

"Davis, you got the back with kari, and if I even think anything is happening, you know what I'll do." Davis nodded very quickly, not knowing the extent, but enough to keep his hands and other body parts to himself. He got in, and the engine rumbled to life, he shifted, and rumbled out of the parking lot.

The arrived at the indicated Jack in the box about 3 minutes before Matt.

"I keep telling him that Nissan's aren't worth the metal that they are made out of." Tai said, proud to own a Chevy. They ate, and caught a movie, and afterwards, found themselves just sitting around a dark park, with nothing else planned.

"So, what should we do now?" Matt asked, slidding his arm over mimi. It just so happened that that was the moment that Tai's medications started to wore off, and the familiar nausea returned.

"Matt, your trucks a four door, right?' He asked, trying to play it cool.

"Yeah, why?" He raised an eyebrow, but had a feeling he knew.

"Because I really have to be home in like ten minutes, or my mom will disown me!" Luckily Kari played along.

"Oh, yeah, your right, time really flew tonight!"

Could you please drop the others off?" Tia pleaded.

"Sure, I'll see you later." Tai nothing short of ran off, leaving Sora feeling neglected.

"Don't worry, I'll make him call you later." Kari said as she raced after him.

Tai got home, and managed to get out of the car with just enough time to vomit allover the grass, and stumble inside.

End of Cahpter 4, sorry it sucked, but I just could make it interesting, so I'll try to do better later.


	5. The goodbad news

Vans vs Dreads #4

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

5# the good/bad news

The room full to the bursting point; it seemed that most of the school was in attendance. The house lights were on, so while the stage was with out curtain, the arrangement of the lights allowed the four on stage to see clearly, but none of the audience to see onto the stage. Tai looked down apprehensively at the crowd, looking for that one person. There, right in the center of the surging students was Sora, satnding patiently waiting for the show to start

"Let's get this over with, guys." Tai said to Matt, Joe, and Izzy, who were on the guitar, Bass, and Drums respectively. They all nodded and got ready to play as Tai mounted the microphone. Matt started a slow building line on the guitar and the noise of the crowd died down to nothing. Four quick symbol beats launched the first verse.

"They turn the lights own low, in shadows hiding from the world," the house lights went down and the stage lights came on a powdery white-blue. "Only coming out when it gets cold." A transparent shimmering curtain started to part that surrounded the front of the stage. "Seas part when they hit the floor, voices carry on and out the door, every thing you touch, turns into gold!" The lights flared brilliantly and settled into a lovely gold color. "Like the Angel, you are, you laughed creating, a lightness in my chest, your eyes they penetrate me, your answer always maybe, that's when I got up and left." A thumping noise started. "A beating heart and a microphone, a ticking clock in a empty home still tells, of these times so long ago, even though I've come so far, I know I've got so far to go, and any day no I'll explode!" the light on the stage all flared at different times and red colors, creating a flare explosion. "Like the Angel, you are, you laughed creating, a lightness in my chest, your eyes they penetrate me, your answer always maybe, that's when I got up and left." Tai stepped back and Matt stepped forward as the guitar solo hit, shaking about and doing some rather impressive stage antics. He ended the last beat by doing a back flip where Tai resumed the mike stand and pick up the last verse. "And each and every day will lead into tomorrow, tomorrow brings one last day without you, but don't weight up, just leave the light on," a single spotlight flashed on and stuck on Sora, "cause all the roads that I might take, will all one day lead back to you." Three different roads of light traced paths around the room, and ended at Sora. "Like the Angel, you are, you laughed creating, a lightness in my chest, your eyes they penetrate me, never cease to amaze me, that's when I got up and left." The crowd down the main arterial road to soar parted at the final guitar beats faded out, and Sora ran up, jumped onto the stage, and then onto Tai. She moved her face very close to his opened her mouth, and said "BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP…"

Tai sat bolt upright in his bed, and the picked his alarm up and threw it across the room, swearing.

"Stupid ass buzzy thing!" Then mumbled to himself, "stupid ass sick dreams." He rolled out of bed and into the bathroom, the emerged 20 seconds later, scratching himself and looking even less awake then when he went in. He returned to the dank pit of his room, closed the door. Four minutes later, he emerged, full consciousness still evading him, but now with a pair of pants added to his repertoire of clothing. Tai had that rare ability of being able to throw on a pair of pants with whatever he had worn to bed, and without any other anything, look clean and brand new. He stumbled to the table and stared balefully at the box of strawberry pop tarts that sat in front of him. It would take him a full ten minutes of contemplation before he managed to remove a packet from the box, and another three to decide that the toaster was beyond him for the moment. After three failed attempts, he munched it down quickly. By that time he had woken enough to slide his feet into his shoes, open the door, and proceed to school.

Tai met with his friends before school, and everything was cool, even with Sora, to whom Matt, Mimi, and Davis had explained his "noble" sacrifice so that he might show her a nice time. After the dream, he thought he could have no more major shocks in store that day, as his karma was relatively even. But, as with cats, and women, karma plays by its own rules. They all shared the same first period,performing arts, it had been said by fellow students that it was an easy A. Perform a few small pieces in front of the class, and watch movies. The teacher stepped to the front of the class, and so did every eye in the room. Now, the teacher was a 28 year blonde, and very attractive. But it was not she that commanded not only the boy's attention, but the girls as well.

"Good morning class, as you have no doubt noticed, we have a new student today."

"Hello!" The new girl said. She was tall, easily as tall as Tai or Matt, but with a thinner, more well muscled frame and a very modest chest. Her hair was short, but not dyke-ishly short, and a shiny blue-black that always seemed to catch the light the right way. Her face had a mostly Asian cast to them, but the kind that only exist in the imagination, not the acne scared and ill proportioned face of most real ones. She wore a lot of mascara, but it didn't look bad or slutty. She wore a lose fitting black tank top with the ticker shoulders, and baggy urban camouflage cargo pants. To finish out the ensemble, was a pair of black vans with white rubber trim and laces.

"My name is Deja Wyleigh, and I just transferred from George Jefferson High up north." She flashed a smile that was nothing short of dazzling.

"Very well Deja, grab a seat, I have another announcement." She walked to the back, slid across the top of a desk, and landed in its seat.

"the school will be hosting a local talent show instead of a play this year, and as you all have just been sitting around, taking up space, you'll each be doing a live song of your choice at the event! You've got two weeks, and the better be good!" The collective bitching was droned out by the bell, as everyone (followed Deja) headed to their next class.


	6. What else could go wrong?

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

6# What else could go wrong?

"You must perform the song of your choosing, any song will do, so long s it can be adequately judged to be a song. These performances are to be presented at the final week of school preceding the winter break. And, simply because I can do this, these performances shall account for the whole of your grade."

"Does it really say that!?" Izzy queried, as he attempted to snatch the paper Matt had been reading.

"Not directly, but it amounts to about that, cause what else has she got to grade us on, how well we stayed awake while watching boring ass movies?" Matt fired back, eyebrows raised. He, Izzy, Tai, and Joe were sitting at a cafeteria, complaining and munching on the "QS," or "Questionable Slop" that the school called lunch. Tai had been sitting, contemplating how his day could get worse, when a new problem landed next to him.

"Hi there, why so down?" it said, blinking pleasantly the second most beautiful set of eyes he'd ever seen, and in his stupification, he noticed that they were a dazzling emerald. He only managed to blink dazedly while his minds gears skipped. Deja locked eyes and waited paitently.

"Diarrhea" he finally said, without quite realizing it. His eye widened as she replied.

"Wow, that's always the first thing a lady likes to hear when trying to make new friends." She batted her eyes innocently, with a placating smile.

"Sorry, I've been kind of sick, and had a hell of a night. Not too much sleep… names Tai." He extended his arm and turned up his charm, and judging by the marked way she reacted, that she actually didn't know just how alluring she was.

"Well, ok, that will be enough, this time." She recovered her composure, blushed slightly and shook his hand. He noticed the sleek musculature of her slim hand. "Goona introduce me to your friends?" she asked as she cooked an eyebrow." He sighed, and looked disappointed.

"Well, if you really want, I guess I won't lose to much sleep over it. The blonde is Matt," Matt gave a two fingered salute and muttered "Yo" into his soda. "The glasses is Joe," He nodded without looking at her, "and the small one is Izzy." He looked peeved, but smiled and waved.

"Nice to meet you all," She smiled and gave a single, all inclusive wave. "As I grabbed my chow, I glanced around, and saw the normal groups of people, the Mexicans, blacks, the bros, their hoes, the football players, cheerleaders, emos, Goths, scenes, drama people, and the academics, but to my shame, I couldn't place you guys, so, what are you?"

"Friends," they all answered simultaneously. Tai expanded, "I'm chief o' the soccer team, Matt's got a band, Izzy's got computer stuff, and Joe… well…um…he's smart? Anyway, we all got together at a summer camp couple years ago with my sister and Matt's brother and to gals, and we've been close ever since.

"oh, ok, that makes sense. So what 'chall doing for the pre arts class project?" she asked, starting to eat.

"No idea." Echoed around the table.

"Awesome," she answered emphatically, "but you only got, like, 3 weeks."

"eh, we'll figure… it… uh" Tai broke off as Davis, Sora, and Mimi slid onto the bench seats, Mimi next to Matt, Sora across from Tai, and Davis across from Deja.

"Hello everyone!" Mimi said with a smile, as Davis paid extreme attention to his plate as Sora eyed Deja, who was by her judgment, was sitting way to close to Tai.

"Hello …"

"Sora." She replied, shaking the hand that Deja offered, and then made the other introductions. The girls continued to chat for a few minutes, while the guys supplied s guilty silences as a backdrop. This went on until the bell rang, "Later's" were uttered and every on filed of to their next classes.

The front doors of the school burst open and a flood of students descended upon the world once more, only to be caged again the next morning. After the deluge of kids thinned to a trickle, Sora emerged with Mimi, followed closely by the guys, all discussing the coming show, and trying to find a realistic song to do.

**There, it took me a full week, and this crap is all I could come up with.**


	7. Hanging around part 1

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

7# Hanging Around (Part 1)

The entire gang (Matt, Tai, Joe, Izzy, Davis, Sora, and Mimi,) were all in Matt's "Garage" after school. The "Garage" was actually a single out building in the back of the Ishilda estate and was simply referred to as the "Garage". The ground floor was wall to wall thick dark carpet, and the walls hung with the accumulated posters and pictures and other crap the seven had collected over the course of their long association. A single heavy metal door faced the direction of the house, and a single window with heavy shutters, that when closed, shut out all outside lights. Inside was a drum kit, a couple of guitars and basses, amps and a microphone, and a little bit of amateur recording equipment. The boys were there just tooling around on random instruments. In the back of the room a ladder bolted to the wall, leading up to a steel trap door, currently open. Inside, a couple of squishy chairs, beanbags, and even an old couch, a table with a computer, and a entertainment center with a decent size TV and some game systems. The girls were sitting at the computer, doing… whatever it is girls do on the internet (Not porn if you can believe it!)

"What the hell are they doing up there, it's been three hours!" Matt whispered emphatically.

"I know," Tai agreed in equally grim and quiet tones. "At most I can spend an hour on the internet a week, not counting porn time!" Izzy, Joe, and Davis all agreed.

"You guys know that we can hear you from up here, right?" Both girls called at once. A few seconds later, Sora's head popped out the trap door. "Anyway Matt, we already looked through your, as you labeled it, "Special Collection" and you don't have anything worth getting exited over." Sora said with a sly, albeit upside down, grin. Mimi yelled down next.

"Yeah, and judging from what you got, I am _way_ above your tastes." Matt turned bright red, and Tai gave a derisive snort, and was about to start laughing when Sora cut back in.

I don't see what you find funny, Tai. We've seen yours, and it's not any better." Now Tai and Matt were both red, and the other three just kept quiet. Suddenly, Sora got a surprised look, brought her head back up, and popped her head back in after a minute.

"Hey Matt, I'm going to have a friend come over to help us, is that cool?" Matt just nodded, still too embarrassed to say anything. "Oh, and TK called, he wanted me to tell you to answer you phone occasionally, and to tell your dad that he's going to be out late with Ken and Cody." Matt nodded again and Sora disappeared back into the room. The boys continued to tool around and a few minutes until the door opened, and Kari walked in, followed by none other than Deja.

"Hi Guys!" Kari called, Deja simply waving timidly, as Kari closed the door behind the guest.

"Hey, Kari, Deja, come up here!" Sora yelled before the boys could say anything, and the two girls obeyed quickly. The boys just gave each other a blank stare, and finally got back to quite conversation and their instruments. Every once in a while one of the girls would yell down a song request, which they managed simple verses and notes from a couple of them. After about half an hour, Mimi's head popped down, her brown hair hanging about 2 ½ feet further that the top of her head.

"Hey guys," Mimi batted her eyelashes, "we're hungry, and we decided that you get to go get us food. Where do you want to go?" The five boys eyed each other, before Tai stood up from behind the drums, and walked forward.

"Let me get this straight, your hungry, and you want us to go get food, but you want us to pick for you?" Tai raised his eyebrow, quizzically at her. Sora's head popped out next to Mimi's, and she answered the question.

"No, were hungry, you ARE going to get us food, and we want to know what sounds good." Both girls blinked at the boys like they were stupid. The boys blinked back like they were stupid.

"Ok… how about Burger King?" Joe suggested, to the assent of the other four. Kari's head popped out between Sora and Mimi.

"Nah, already had it today."

"Del Taco?"

"No" this went on until each boy had got their idea shot down twice, before finally, all three of them said in unison, "Jack-In-The-Box." The boys all sighed.

"Why could you just pick that in the first place?" Tai asked explosively.

"Tai," Kari said in a sweet voice, "Don't be difficult, just make with the fetchy." Tai sighed again, slumped over to a table, and grabbed a piece of paper.

"Ok, Sora, spicy chicken sandwich combo with an unsweetened ice tea, and Kari, # 5 with curly fries and a sprite. What about the other two?" He took Deja and Mimi's orders, grabbed a sweatshirt of the floor, which the other boys mimicked, and charged out the door. The three girls giggled and retreated back into the loft.

**Boys:**

The five boys piled into Joe's SUV, and Matt busted out his Ipod as Joe started the engine.

"Now that I think about it," Matt said as he shuffled through his albums, "I am hungry. Do us a favor and see if you can reach a speed at least close to the limit, instead of driving like a old lady?"

"Up yours, Matt." Joe said, even as he did crank it up to 45. Matt selected a song, and rendered further conversation nullified.

**Girls:**

"See, they're not strictly helpless, but you need to lead them around to the correct answer." Kari was lying on her back on the couch, reading a magazine by the desk lamp by the computer, which was the only light on aside from the computer screen.

"I still think it seemed a little mean." Deja said, leafing through reading the same magazine as Kari, who had her legs across Deja's lap.

"Look at it this way," Mimi said and started ticking things of on her fingers. "1. these boys are our closest friend, and we are entitled to say whatever needs to be said to them. 2. Matt and I are essentially dating, so I can do just about anything and get away with it. 3. Tai is Kari's brother, and IS dating Davis so those to are taken care of. 4. Joe is the nicest guy we have ever met, and Izzy isn't to far off, so they are good. 5. Tai has proved that he is stupid and needs to be directed, buy the way him and Sora have been dancing around each other since they both hit puberty, and yet he still hasn't grown the rocks to try anything." Mimi was sitting at the computer with Sora, who had not said anything. Deja didn't look totally convinced. Sora took over, turning her chair around to face her.

"Look at it this way, Deja, we've all been the best of friends for many years, and we would never take advantage of our boys. We go through this every night, and it always ends the same. They get hungry, and then turn to us and ask us what we want and refuse to chose themselves, and get offended if we offer money. I think they just played up the victim card to try and impress you."

"How is that supposed to impress me?" She asked, shocked. Kari picked it up.

"Not a clue. We're guessing that their brains are wired weird or something. Like some kind of machine that has all the parts that it need to perform the basic functions, but is missing critical components to make them run at the full capacity that we run at. And when we are around we stress the capacity, and make them try and work fully, but just cause small overloads and hampers efficiency." Deja blinked thoughtfully, and Mimi grabbed the topic.

"For example, have you noticed how the struggle with even simple tasks whenever you first appear?" Deja nodded timidly. "Well, that, to quote a great author, is like "Throwing sand into machinery that doesn't work to well at best.""

"But, as you have already pointed out, they are all crazy about you, and don't have the same reaction to you."

"Easy, due to the long period of time we've all spent together, they've had time to get used to our particular sand, and have adjusted automatically to cope with it." Sora added. "With Matt and Tai, it's not a problem, they are ours, and we just have to wait for them to figure it out." Mimi continued.

**Boys:**

"Damn it Joe! I told you not to choose the drive thru!" Tai complained again. "We've been sitting here for 15 minutes, and we're not even up to the speaker yet!"

"Oh! You mean that were not the only ones who want 50$ worth of cheap food at 7 at night?"

"Yes! How dare they inconvenience us like this." Matt said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, shut up…"

"All of you shut up! We're at the speaker!" Joe roared, quieting them momentarily. Joe efficiently read the orders off of the paper, made his own, and thanked the person on the other side, then pulled up. He sighed deeply, the addressed the car as a whole.

"Why do we have to go through this same rigmarole every time we come here?"

"Why can you just go into the place like a normal person?"

"Oh, you know you love it"

"Hey! We didn't even say anything!"

**Girls:**

"Long story short, we would never manipulate our simply use them, and they know it." Sora was finished, no flipping channels on the TV.

"So then, it works out to where you guys are essentially family where it counts?" Deja asked.

"Yeah! That's about it." Kari answered flipping a page. "Anyway, where the hell are they, I'm starving!"

"Me too!" the rest echoed.

**End of chapter…**

**Anyway, as you all prolly know already, I am a review WHORE, and I do love my reviews, good or bad, long or longer. And a note now, because I like feed back, I am planning to do a full song page for each of the original 8 characters, and Davis, and prolly Deja as well, and I plan to write out the entire lyrics to the songs, because they are all going to be songs I like. So let me know what chall think about that, and maybe some ideas for directions I might be taking this story, cause I'm getting close to being tapped.**


	8. Hanging around part 2

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

8# Hanging Around (Part 2)

**Boys:**

Joe pulled his SUV up to the curb in front of Tai's house, and Tai hopped out and ran into the house. Matt yelled after him.

"When you grab the movies, don't forget the deodorant dude, you stink like a rendering plant!" To which Tai replied with a single finger salute and a slammed door.

**Girls:**

"…Trust me, just do it tonight." Kari said confidently, without looking away from the magazine.

"So what brings you to our neck of the woods, Deja?" Sora changed the subject as she sat down next to her.

"Well, with the Layoffs going on all over, my Mom lost her job at the water treatment plant in Beaverton, and so that freed my Dad up to finally accept the promotion to Chief of police in this town, so we moved. The good part was that my Mom has already managed to get another job at the treatment plant here, and it's working pretty well."

"Didn't it suck to just up and leave all you friends and history?" Mimi looked shocked.

"Actually, I like this town, I didn't have any real friends, and mostly just got called a dyke or tramp or whore because I like my hair short and I like the way it feels to be able to whip the boy's asses at the sports they think their good at."

"Amen to that!" Sora said.

"But so far, everyone's been pretty cool, though it's only been a few days…" Deja was cut of by the door down below opening and five loud and arguing voices.

"Lucy! I'm Home!" One of them yelled. Kari jumped up to the back edge of the L-shaped couch that ported the trap door.

"It's about fraxing time! What the hell took you all so long?" She yelled, and Matt answered.

"Tai started his period, and we had to stop and grab some maxi pads!" There was a crash, an ow, and some more yelling.

"Fraxing?" Deja queried. Mimi turned and gave a quick whispered explanation, and Deja's eye grew wide. "Ewww…" she said as Mimi drew away.

"I know, and that came into being during the late fifties, early sixties." She said with a grossed out look. The five boys climbed up the ladder, and as the last came up kicked the trap shut. Then, Tai, with both arms full of bags, put his back against the wall, and slid around for a minute, until he finally managed to flip the light switch to on.

"Oooh, that was impressive." Sora remarked, which got a raised eyebrow from Tai.

"Thank you, Ma'am." Tai replied, and attempted to tip the hat he wasn't wearing, and just managed to drop a bag. "Damn it." He walked over and plopped the bags o the table, walked over and picked up the dropped one, and placed it with the others. The others added their bags, then Matt busied himself with his 360, getting the movie ready. The other boys rifled through the bags for their food. Tai grabbed his and Sora's and joined her on the far side of the couch, Davis with Kari's next to them. Deja was sitting in the center, the bending part of the L, Joe handed her her food and took one side, Izzy the other. Matt finished the movie prep, grab Mimi's food, and sat down next to her. A few seconds later, he got back up, grabbed his food, and sat down again.

"What flick did you guys grab? Sora asked.

"A couple of charming and heartwarming little romantic comedies." Tai answered, munching fries. "_Zack and Miri Make a Porno_, and _Wrist cutters: a Love Story_."

"…" All the girls simply stared.

"Trust us; they're better than the sound."

"..Ok… anyway, have you guys picked what songs you're going to shame on stage next weekend?" Mimi asked, starting her burger."

"We actually discussed that earlier." Matt stated.

**Earlier, in the drive thru line:**

"So," Izzy put forward, "have you guys got any idea what song you're going to do for the performance?"

"No idea." They all answered unanimously.

**Back in the present:**

"We've pretty much narrowed it down." Tai answered confidently, and continued to stuff his craw.

**120 minutes later (give or take):**

"Ok, you were right," Mimi said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, "that was hilarious, and adorable." She moved as Matt uncoiled his arm from her shoulders and got up to change the DVD. She and Matt had snuggled up after the food had been finished. Kari was lying in Davis's lap, and Deja had spread out, her back against Joe, legs over Izzy's lap. Sora and Tai had maintained a uniform three inches between each other, and an air of anxious uncomfortability. As Matt rose, Tai did as well, gathering up the trash, as asking if anyone needed anything, and casting a I will F-ing kill you glare at Davis, as if daring him to be a smart ass. All no's and he hopped down to the lower floor. The door thumped shut, and immediately, the three girls other than Sora said in a monotone "Do it."

"Do what?" Matt asked, turning around.

"Nothing and fine." Sora replied with a hint of weariness, resignation, and even a bit of frustration in her voice. She slouched deeper into the couch as Tai returned, and sat down, adjusting back into the uniform three inch gap subconsciously. Tai's minded wandered during the first few minutes.

_Damn it! Why do I have to be such a wuss! I mean there she is, right next to me, and I can't even bring myself to get move even a centimeter closer! And here I am, the holder of the crest of courage for Christ's sake, and I am completely stalled! I can throw myself at any kind of stupid thing with no thought or doubt, and I don't even care about those things! Here I care for this girl more than anything else, and yet I am Actually dead afraid of changing how things are, of her even knowing that I feel stronger than her friend because I don't want her to pull away! Arrgh! This is ridiculous! I am going…_

"What the hell! Did he seriously just slit his wrists! It's 3 minutes into the film and he offs himself!?!" Sora looked at Tai and Matt quizzically and outraged.

"Just watch the film, I promise it's not a bad thing, and you love it." Tai said, and gave her the puppy dog eyes.

"…Okay, fine." She held out a second before giving in. She took a deep breath, settled back, the slid over and against Tai's side. His eyes widened, and he froze for a moment, until she started nudging him with her shoulder. After a few minutes his gears finally started spinning again, and he got the hint and lifted his arm and settled it around her shoulders, where as she snuggled in tighter. It fit as if it was made specifically for her, and she took her long delayed ownership. After another 20 minutes or so, she snickered to her self. Tai looked down and asked, "What?"

"Your right, this is pretty good."

"Just wait, it isn't just good, it's amazing."

Well, they we go, sorry for the…uh, lag, and their might be some more, though, as the desire for combat is pushing me to some other stories I did, but I will try to update soon, If you pamper to the review whore in me!


	9. The Build up

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

9# The Build up

"So I'm in my English class, and we were having one of the usual group discussions, and we got around to breakfast. So naturally we start debating the best breakfast, and one of the Mexican guys brings up waffles. This of course changed the subject to just strait waffles. So the teacher asks him if they even have waffles in Mexico. So now, he's decided that the title of his autobiography is going to be "There are no waffles in Mexico." Davis spoke as he ate, and the group laughed. In true style, he chose that moment to needle Tai again.

"So, it's been almost a week now, have you asked her out yet?" They stopped laughing, and Tai looked frustrated.

"Now, why do we have to keep going over this? I'll get to it." Sora, Mimi, and Deja walked up, and Tai turned to Sora. "Sora, after the performances are over tomorrow night, wanna hit the movies?"

"Sure, if you don't go into a shame spiral after your booed of the stage."

"Alright then, it's a date." Matt saw cheap opportunity, and struck.

"Hey Mimi, Same?"

"Sure. You boy's ready for the show tomorrow night?"

"And are you going to tell us what you're performing?" Deja interjected.

"Nope," Joe said, "All we can tell you is that we're all five doing ours together as a band performance kind of thing." The rest nodded solemnly. The girls sighed heavily, and started into their lunch. 15 minutes later the bell sounded, and they all filed off to their final class of the day.

"Ok, class, this is probably a bad time to mention this, but I swear to good, I one of you does a song by John Mehyer I will fail you so hard, that you'll fail the rest of your classes to. Anyway, get your shi… acts together, and I see you all tomorrow!" The bell rang as the performing arts teacher closed her final class before the show, and the kids worried about their fate.

"So," Mimi put forward as the made their way out the main gate and headed for the parking lot, hand laced with Matt's, "are you guys going to tell us what you guys have planned yet?"

"Not a chance," Tai said with a smug smile directed at Joe, who then blushed, "But if our reactions are any indication, you will all be pleasantly surprised." The three girls shared a mischievous look between themselves, knowing that the boys would be surprised by their acts as well. The boys saw the look, and remarked in unison, "What are you girls doing?" The girls separated themselves from the boys, and headed for Deja's car.

"Hey, you won't tell, you'll just have to wait and see yourselves. We've got a lot of prep left to do, so we'll just meet you after the show." The load up and took off, leaving the guys blinking.

Alrighty, end of chapter… uh, what ever number was at the front of this page. Frankly I have nothing more to go on, so I'm going to segue strait into the song portion of the story. (note that I donot have anything planned, I am really making this up as I go.) also, I have also just got inspiration for a new character. (If you haven't got it, Deja is physically based of faith from EA's Mirrors Edge.) and the new character, who will have her own song, will be physically based of Sheva from Resident Evil 5.


	10. Joe

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

10# Performance: Joe

300 folding chairs had been set up in the auditorium, and it was filled to capacity. All of the lights are down, and the speakers clicked a couple of times and a single spotlight speared a stunningly beautiful, mocha skinned girl. Her voice, a warm and unintentionally sensuous contralto with just the slightest hint of smokiness flooded out and filled every crevice of the large space.

"Hello, and welcome to the talent show." She flashed a smile and light flashed off a row of dazzlingly white teeth. "We have for you tonight a group of students who will hopefully entertain you enough to justify the 4.50 you each paid for a ticket." She got the light chorus of laughs that she wanted, noticed it was 7% more than her estimate, and flashed another smile. "So first up, we have the group of Matt, Tai, Izzy, Davis, and Joe, who are playing their own instruments, so needless to say, this should be interesting." The Laughter was up another 3%, and she decided to close it up. "So now, Joe will be singing first." She took a bow, and the five or so people whose eyes weren't glued to the girl noticed fog rolling into the spotlight. It snapped off, and a heavy drumbeat and simple guitar chord rumbled on. This continued for about a minute, and then a more complex one picked up. A broader spot clicked on, and shined down upon a man in blue pants, a black shirt, and with his head down and black hair hanging to his waist. His voice picked up the first line, and sounded like a rock crusher in low gear.

"We call out to the beasts of the sea to join us; this night is yours, because one day we will all join you in the black and deep." He lifted his head and his face was painted to resemble metal. "One day, we will all go into the water! Go, into the waaaater, live there, die there, live there, die there.

We reject our earthly fires.

gone are days of land empires.

lungs transform to take in water.

Cloaked in scales we swim and swim on.

We are alive, and we'll metamorphasize, and we'll sink as we devolve back to beasts.

Our home is down here, and we've known this for year, we must conquer from the sea, we build an army with water steeds.

We'll rise, from our depths down below.

Release yourselves, drown with me, we will conquer land with water "

Another heavy cord interrupted the lyrics.

"Gone are days of land empires.

Lungs transform to take in water.

Cloaked in scales we swim and swim on,

We swim on,

We swim on…"

The drum beats spooled down, and the lights faded to a lot of applause. If the introducer had played the odds she would have seen 13% more applause than she would have expected, and if she'd have known Joe, she would have noted a full 43% of the people would have never thought Joe had it in him. The boys looked at each other, and thought the same thing as the gal retook the stage. One down and 4 to go.


	11. Davis

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

10# Performance: Joe

A healthy guitar cord picked up, with a steady drum line, and the spots flickered on, spearing Davis, who tapped his heel to the beat of the drum. He looked up as tune leveled out, and brought the microphone up with both hands as he picked up the first line.

"Cause I'm a mess, and you know that I can't help it,

The drive home never seemed this long before…

Killing time, just a little bit faster, I swear we'll make it…

But I can't tell you what I don't know," The other four boys picked up the line.

"_Be mine tonight, be mine tonight_…"

Then back to Davis.

"The simple things that make my heart go…"

The boys again.

"_Be mine tonight, be mine tonight_,"

Davis again.

"But I can't tell you what I don't know, you'll have to wait, you'll have to wait,

Stay safe,"

"_Stay strong._"

"So I may know that you'll be here when I am gone, because I'm coming home, coming home tonight-iiiite, lets get this ready, because I'm coming home, coming home tonight."

"You said it hurts, and you know that I believed you, searching every little thing to find a way, to tell your heart just to wait a little longer. I swear we'll make it…"

But I can't tell you what I don't know," The other four boys picked up the line.

"_Be mine tonight, be mine tonight_…"

Then back to Davis.

"The simple things that make my heart go…"

The boys again.

"_Be mine tonight, be mine tonight_,"

Davis again.

"But I can't tell you what I don't know, you'll have to wait, you'll have to wait,

Stay safe,"

"_Stay strong._"

"So I may know that you'll be here when I am gone, because I'm coming home, coming home tonight-iiiite, lets get this ready, because I'm coming home, coming home tonight."

The music soften, and Davis continued in a low, breathless voice that hinted to pain, and a short pause between each word.

"And one more night, and we'll go spinning around, the room, and dance with our hearts on fire, cause every song is ours, tonight…"

"And if you, love, me, so, I'm gonna tell the whole world, that it's the greatest thing to happen to me… I've finally found a good reason to come home."

His voice got a pitch stronger, almost defiant in tone.

"One more night, and will go spinning around the room, and we'll dance with our hearts on fire, cause every song is ours tonight-iiite.

"And if you, love, me, so, I'm gonna tell the whole world, that it's the greatest thing to happen to me… I've finally found a good reason to come home.

"Stay safe,"

"_Stay strong._"

"So I may know that you'll be here when I am gone, because I'm coming home, coming home tonight-iiiite, lets get this ready, because I'm coming home, coming home tonight."

He drug out the last "tonight" as the music and the lights faded out, and the audience exploded into applause.

Alright, chapter 10-2 finished, and I just gotta say damn, this song is fantastc. .com/watch?v=Ue8HharAjrE&feature=channel_page There is the link, for the live performance of the song that I used for this. God, the part of the song "And if you love me so," STILL make me mist up good. Oh and for the song from the first one = .com/watch?v=yyw0xeOwVd0


	12. Sora

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

10# Performance: Sora

_All right, so, I was going over in my head (Haven't sleep in a day, so I'm bored,) and, really, the whole thing was an excuse to get this song out from Sora. Anyway, after Davis, Izzy preformed Mr. Roboto by STYX, Matt did Dance or Die by Family Force 5, and Tai did Savior, by Rise Against. After some random students, the 4 girls go, With Mimi doing Bleeding Love, by Leona Lewis, Deja Preformed Mechanical Love, By In This Moment, and the new girl did What You Do To Me by Straight Line Stitch (Though no one's reading this anymore anyway.) Alas, as my own love continues to recede from me, I go to where I understand things. Anyway, here's Sora's song._

The lights were out after the announcer had left the stage after her performance, and besides a heavy scraping noise a minute earlier, nothing was happening. After a few seconds more, a 2 note keystroke on a piano rumbled softly from the stage. These two notes rang out in close order 7 times before a smoky contralto flooded out, and peeked the attention of even those that had nearly fallen asleep.

"Can anybody tell me why, we're laying here on the floor, and neither, of us can, barley breathe at all." The lights started to fade up slowly revealing a gleaming, ebony baby grand piano. At the word "all" two recessed lights faded on, and illuminated the figure on the hood of the piano. Sora sat atop the piano with her legs folded next to her, stage left. She was propped with her left hand, and held the microphone with her right. Her hair was flared out at the ends, and she wore a glittering white dress that was tight, but not garish, and slit up the legs like a frock. Every jaw in the auditorium dropped as she smiled, and her dress shimmered.

"The doctor's saying hold on tight, as we say our last goo'byes, and tis id, the moment, that changes our whole lives, ummmhmmm.

And I still believe in the good,

And I still believe in the light,

And I want to feel the sun, I want to save you tonight.

And I still believe in the good,

And I still believe in the light,

And I want to feel the sun, I want to save you tonight.

I'm staring deep into your eyes, they're telling me the time has come, and I know your ready, to rise and sail home. The room is filling up with light, as we say our last goodnight. I thank you, for every, second of your life.

And I still believe in the good,

And I still believe in the light,

And I want to feel the sun, I want to save you tonight.

And I still believe in the good,

And I still believe in the light,

And I want to feel the sun, I want to save you and I'm falling, watching as your hurting, I'm down here I'm on my knees, how can I survive. And you turn to me, and promise me your ready, and tell me you'll be waiting, on the other side!"

Her voice dropped to breathless almost growl.

"And I still believe in the good,

And I still believe in the light,

And I want to feel the sun, I want to save you tonight.

And you showed me all the good,

And you lead me through the light,

And you gave me the sun,

It's time to save you… tonight."

The lights faded out as she stretched the last tonight out.

_Ok, the link to this song is __.com/watch?v=mS7Z4SKkUeM_

_Dance or die is __.com/watch?v=_YVQjXe9yYY_

_Mr. Roboto is __.com/watch?v=MBtZk13miAE_

_Bleeding Love is __.com/watch?v=sF84pIhP5UM_

_Mechanical love is __.com/watch?v=Ky_LtNzPcTk_

_What You Do To Me is __.com/watch?v=R_WuXOP8oDg_

_Savior is __.com/watch?v=_Qhry7ufxno_


	13. The aftershow

**Unrelenting Love**

I am the Teriyaki man!

I don't own the show, or any music!

11# The after show

Tai was waiting outside, still in just a t-shirt and baggy pants. He had seen Sora's performance from the audience, but he needed to see this up close. Matt had taken off to look for Mimi, having forgotten that women see the necessity to travel in packs. It was a few minutes later of trolling the mostly male crowd when he remembered, and came back, head sagging. They were standing outside the main door to the auditorium, and the show had ended shortly before. None of them have won, so they didn't pay attention to who did. It wasn't long before Joe, Izzy, and Davis joined them, part waiting for the rest of the group, and part because they too wanted to see Sora up close. They backed a group of filthy little freshmen (tried and found filthy by virtue of being freshmen) away from a lamp post, and sat around waiting. They looked interested every time the doors opened, but were disappointed each time. A large mass of people tromped out, the door slamming open, and still no girls.

"Well, by my estimations, 97.4% of the audience has exited." Izzy stated, to a sigh from everyone but Joe, who gave a small cough that sounded like 97.6. Someone jumped out from behind the lamp, landing in front of the boys.

"Wheeeeeel hooooowwdeeeee! Youh boies looking fer ah show?" Deja was still in her outfit for "Mechanical Love." It consisted of a baggy black t-shirt that was ripped and tattered at the base, large, very dark green cargo shorts that were shredded around the leg holes. Her hair was layered and the tips flared, and her mascara was artfully dripped down from her eyes, making her look angry rather than like she'd been crying. Before anyone could answer, she turned to Joe.

"That performance of yours was possibly the most awesome thing I have ever seen." Joe was still in his Nathan Explosion getup, plus his glasses. He felt strange with the face paint on, like he was not himself. He spoke in a growl.

"Thanks, Deja, you were pretty amazing as well." Her eyes bulged slightly.

"…so… um… what are you doing tonight?" She stuttered and led Joe away from the rest of the group, all staring with mouths gaping, except Izzy, who disappeared behinded a group of painted white faced performers. This, of course, allowed Mimi and Sora to walk up and surprise them. Tai and Matt both yelped and jumped, turning to face the beautiful girls. Now, the most important difference between the two boys and showed how they had gotten their crests, was inherent in how they reacted to the girls.

Matt grabbed Mimi's hands and started congratulating her on how great her performance was.

Tai, however, simply panicked, and his mouth took a moment to voice what he really wanted to say while his brain told him to abort.

"Sora, go to prom with me, wear that." His inflection made it a question rather than a statement. Sora smiled slightly, suppressing the huge smile she wanted to display, and jumping for joy inside. Tai's insides on the other hand, had stopped dead, his heart rate, blood pressure and all others had reset to normal, and he effectively forgot he asked a question, because if he was able to examine this unsolicited expressing, he would have had a stroke. The whole thing blanked and he stared at Sora with his mouth hanging slightly open, taking in her magnificent visage.

"Um, sure." She smiled slightly, and spoke very timidly. He blinked slowly, his eyes regaining focus.

"…What?" His jaw tightened and he gave her a puzzled look with the comment. She got a slightly worried look, and clarified.

"I'll go …to the prom …with …you?" her inflection left it as both a question and a statement. She was worried he'd been joking, and he was thinking, _she just told me that we're going to the prom together._ A pressure he didn't even know existed eased from the area directly above his heart.

"Oh, awesome, thank you." His dull tone got him a raised eyebrow, but the obvious look of relief on his face saved him. Matt, who had not been watching what Tai was doing, but rather watching Mimi's reaction to Tai was doing, seized that bandwagon opportunity. He tapped her on the shoulder, and she swivled to look and him.

"Want to go with me?" He asked, and she gave him the look that perfectly conveyed the phrase _What the hell are you talking about?_ He actually understood the cue, and knew better that to just plainly add on the _to the prom._ He drew a breath and restated the whole question. "Mimi, would you go to the prom with me?" She gave a quick ok, and then turned back to what had been going on between Sora and Tai. Sora seemed looked happy, though slightly miffed, and Tai stood dazedly, grinning like an idiot. She sighed, guessing the show was over, she was wrong, and but was not aware until Izzy walked up, with a smile so smug that they group could hear it before they saw it. Matt, Mimi, and Sora all turned, but Tai's brain was still rebooting, and he stared into space. The meager crowd parted, and Izzy walked toward them. They all of their face registered surprise, (cept Tai's, of course) because next to him walked the girl who'd announced the show.

"He guys, this is Nadia, and she is going to go to the movies with us." When he spoke, the smile in his voice was almost painful. At the word movie, Tai seemed to snap back into the real world. He looked at his watch, and then to those gathered around.

"Oh, yeah, come on guys, we have to head out or we're going to miss it." They moved into the parking lot, at took stock of who was going I what cars. Kari and Davis moved with Tai to his car, as well as Sora. She opened the passenger, the folded down the seat so Kari and Davis could get in, but Tai stopped her. She looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Sorry, Sora, but I am going to have to look at the road at least a little while I drive, so I'm going to need you to sit in the back with Kari." She wanted to argue at first, but then she realized that the semantic content of the sentence was "you're really pretty and it messes with my concentration when I have you in my sight." She nodded, then gave a soft smile to Kari, who returned it, but with a knowing, and "I told you so" simle. They turned to see Mimi getting into Matt's truck, while he walked up to where Tai was. Izzy, Nadia, and Deja had loaded into Joe's SUV and he joined Tai and Matt.

"So," Joe asserted, "what's the plan, guys?" Joe was wearing his glasses, but still had the Nathan Explosion makeup, and every now and then still spoke in a deep rasp. He did this now, and mat slugged him in the shoulder.

"Would you stop doing that? It creeps me out."

"You just jealous, besides, we have to practice for the Halloween party, and if we k=nail this, we are totally going to get best group costume. Anyway, what are we going to do, the ladies are waiting." Joe growled out the last sentence. The were going to the Halloween party that some rich girl in Izzy's calculus class was throwing, and Joe, Izzy, Matt, Tai, and Davis were all going as Dethklok. Izzy, Tai and Davis were all arguing over not being Murderface, and so far Izzy was behind on points.

"Okay, how about the Oakvale Plaza Theater, Zombieland?" Tai asked.

"Sure, sound good. Food First or later?"

"Dunno, ask the girls, or do we deicide?" Tai checked his watch. "Well, its 9 now, and the show starts at 9:30, so we'll just grab something to go." All three walked to their vehicles, got in, sat for a minute, the got back out, and huddled again. "Never mind, the girls say movie, then food. I'll lead, you guys follow." Tai said, and walked back to the car. He toyed with the radio, and Mayday Parade new song _Kids in love_ rumbled through the speakers as he drove through the parking lot, avoiding all of the speed bumps. Matt's truck lurched after it, Paramore's new _Brick by Boring Brick_ thumping through his large speakers, and finally Joe's SUV, with no music, as Deja was flipping through his CD's.

The three of them pulled into the theater with 10 minutes to spare, Tai's car now spouting Meg and Dia's _Bored of Your Love_, Matt's truck playing Taylor Swift's _You Belong With Me_, and Joe's with Dethklok's _Murmaider II: The Water God. _They all exited the vehicle, Tai holding the seat for Sora, and then offering her his arm, which she took, and walked toward the ticket window. They ignored the stares of the punk ass teenage kids that should have been at home, rather than hanging out in the parking lot of a movie theater, and all handed Joe the money. He grinned, and walked a head, Deja keeping pace with him as he approached the lady at the window.

"Errr… good evening, ma'am," his voice was the deep growl, "I need 10 tickets for Zombieland please." She counted the money, and then the tickets without a word. "Thank you. Have a brutal night." He turned, and then passed out the tickets, and all ten of the group walked into the theater. They walked passed the concession stand, having already pocketed an array of snacks that they kept in the back of Joe's SUV and Tai's car because they were went to the movies almost once a week, or more if good stuff was playing at the cheap theater.

An hour and a half later, they walked out of the theater having seen an absolutely terrific movie.

"So, it is official, chicks + guns equals HOT! It being Emma Stone don't hurt none either. So, where we going for food."

"hmm, taco bell?" The guys were all walking together, following the girls to the cars. The girls all turned in unison, and spoke as one.

"No, we are going, to Burger King"


End file.
